Does It Make Sense Now?
by BobWhite
Summary: Trixie is kidnapped and in the process of looking for her a cold case from Ten Years ago is closed. PLS R&R 2 find out more. Full Summary inside. There will be at least nine chapters. And maybe a sequel a few years in the future. Let me know!
1. Kidnapped

**Full Summary:**

Trixie is kidnapped during a vacation in New York City with the Bob-Whites and the Wheelers. What follows is a desperate search for her and a link to a cold case from ten years ago. Will Trixie be found? And will a cold case be solved in the process?

**Kidnapped:**

**A Vacation In The City:**

The Bob-Whites were headed, with Mr & Mrs Wheeler, for a vacation in New York City to see the Twin Towers for the first time. They'd been excited all week, waiting for Spring Break to roll around. All had gotten permission from their respective families to go and would be staying at a quaint little Bed & Breakfast. Mr. Wheeler had business in the city that week but Mrs. Wheeler promised to show the kids around the city as it was a rarity for all the kids to be in the city together.

Tom, the Wheelers Chauffeur, had been told he needn't drive the group to the train station as Mr. Wheeler was going to be driving the limousine himself so there wouldn't be any hassle on the morning they were to leave. The kids who had camera's had made sure to pack those in their backpacks as well as all kids had promised to write something about the Twin Towers for an English Assignment when they got home from the city.

Nobody expected the trip to go the way it was about to…

**A Familiar Face:**

They had settled into the Bed & Breakfast for the first night. Mr. Wheeler had to be at a meeting that night, so Mrs. Wheeler took over the kids with the help of Jim & Brian. They ate out that first night and everything went smoothly. Trixie & Honey couldn't stop talking about what they wanted to do and see the next day. All Bob-Whites except Diana were in the city this week. Diana Lynch had gone with her family to Florida because her younger siblings had wanted to go to the beach.

The next morning was a little drizzly, so the kids were forced to stay inside and entertain themselves till it cleared up some. They decided to work on their school work in the dining room and the staff at the hotel said that they didn't mind, as long as they kept it down for the other guests who were also staying indoors for that morning.

When it cleared up, the Bob-Whites put their belongings-books & notebooks-in their backpacks & back into their respective rooms, then they all trooped outside with Mrs. Wheeler not far behind. Honey's governess, Miss Trask, had had to stay at Manor House to help Regan, Tom & Celia out. With the Bob-White's gone from the house for the week, Regan was left to exercise all the horses even with Miss Trask & Tom helping out when they could.

Honey & Trixie walked a little farther ahead of the others as they headed for the Twin Towers. The sun had finally come out around noon so it was perfect weather to start exploring the city. Mrs. Wheeler stayed between the boys and the car, which they had parked near enough the building to be able to walk the rest of the way without tiring.

When they got to the buildings, it was Trixie that was shoved aside by a man pulling a young girl by her arm & out the door. The girl was struggling a little, like she didn't wasn't to go with the man but in the end the man won out, yanking her arm so harshly, that the young girl screamed out a little. Jim spoke up just them.

"Say, there's no need to be so rude to your daughter, man."

"Stay outta this bout, it ain't got nothing to do with you."

And before anyone could say anything else, the man and his daughter had disappeared into the crowd down the street.

"Hmph…he didn't have to be so rude. He even shoved Trixie aside to leave the building." _Honey said._

"I'm fine Honey, honestly. But did anyone else think that the girl looked a little familiar?" _Trixie asked._

"Who was she supposed to look like Trix?" _Brian asked._

"I don't know, but it get the funniest feeling I've seen her face before, I just can't put my finger on where."

"Oh, no, not another mystery dear sister. This is vacation; we don't need to involve a mystery." _Mart said._

"I'm sure it was nothing. She probably looks like some kids from school." _Dan said._

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Never mind I said anything."

"Fine by us." _Honey & the gang chorused together, laughing at the end._

And they did forget about it the rest of the time as well as the next three days, having as much fun as they could get. But on the fourth day, not wanting to bring attention to the girl and her father again, Trixie saw the girl & her father again and noticed that they seemed to be following the group.

Trixie pushed it out of her head, thinking it was nothing…

**Grabbed:**

Trixie was in hers and Honey's room, finishing up on her observations that day. She wanted to show Jim in the morning & ask what it might mean, but she also knew that none of the Bob-Whites wanted anything to do with this mystery. It wasn't on their mind so why bring it up now? Finishing the paper, she out it on the bureau next to the lamp & pulled out her math homework. She'd promised to do the paperwork with Jim & Brian helping her to see if the problems were right.

Honey had gotten up and had moved into the bathroom they shared with Brian and Jim who were in the adjoining room. She was gone only a few minutes but it was enough time for someone to sneak into the room from the patio deck and make a grab at Trixie. As soon as she felt someone grab her, Trixie started screaming at the top of her lungs, which got the attention of everyone in the next room, but it did no good as the man disappeared into the night with Trixie stumbling along behind him, scared to death.

Will Trixie be found? Will the Bob-Whites and the rest of their friends be able to cope if Trixie isn't found? And how do the Belden's personally react?


	2. Missing

**Missing:**

**The House:**

Trixie woke slowly, her head pounding as if she had been knocked out sometime after she was grabbed. Someone was wiping her face with a wet washcloth & she jerked away from the hand. A soothing voice stopped her short.

"Shh…it's okay, I'm not going to hurt you."

"W…where am I?"

"The _House_; I don't know where it's located, only that it ain't anywhere near the city."

"W…who are you?"

"You can call me Charlie, it's short for Charlotte. Can you sit up?"

"I…I think so."

With little effort, Trixie was sitting up against the wall. When she looked around, she noticed that she was in a bedroom, no bigger than her own at home. When she started to think of home and how she might never see her family or friends again, tears sprang to her eyes. Obviously, Charlie saw them & spoke up.

"Oh don't cry, please. I promise nothing will happen to you. If you cry, he'll come in and start hitting. What's your name?"

"Trixie…Trixie Belden."

"It's nice to meet you Trixie. This is my sister Heather. She's asleep at the moment but when she wakes up, she'll be your best friend."

"How old are you Charlie?"

"I turned sixteen on Monday. That's why we were in the city. I had been good and he decided to reward me with a trip to the city, to the Twin Towers cause I had never seen them before.'  
"What do you mean by 'you had been good'?"

"He took us too. Only probably not the same way he took you."

"Oh, so when my family and friends find me, they can rescue you and Heather at the same time."

"We won't be found Trixie. He'd have made sure of that. Now, you should try and get some sleep. You can sleep with Heather. I need to get up and make him some food. Stay in the room and don't make a sound and listen to Heather when she wakes up. I'll be back soon."

With that, Charlie left the room, shutting the door quietly behind her…

**The Police Get Involved:**

It wasn't long before the Bed & Breakfast was swarming with cops. The Bob-White's, especially Brian & Mart were quite upset, having lost not only a sister but also a dear friend. Mr & Mrs. Belden had been called immediately and they were coming up with the help of Tom. Bobby was staying with Celia & Miss Trask who had given orders to Tom not to come back without any further news of the investigation. Tom had nodded his agreement.

When Tom & The Belden matriarchs showed up, everyone could tell that Mrs. Belden had been crying and that Mr. Belden was furious. The family and friends stayed together and though they looked all over New York for Trixie the remainder of Spring Break, they could find no sign of her & were forced to go back to Sleepyside empty handed Sunday afternoon.

No one was happy about not finding Trixie…

**Back to School:**

The Bob-Whites returned to school the next Monday after Spring Break ended, sullen and not interested in their school work at all. During lunch, classmates noticed that one member of the Belden clan was vehemently missing and it was Tad Webster who asked the question.

"Hey, Mart, Honey. Where's Trixie at? It's not like her to miss school like this."

"You might want to sit down for this Tad." _Mart said._

"Why, what's going on? What happened?" _Tad asked as he sat down with the Bob-Whites. It seemed like the whole cafeteria was trying to hear what was about to be said cause it got quiet all of a sudden._

"We Bob-Whites went into New York City for Spring Break with Mr. & Mrs. Wheeler cause they said they'd take us to see the Twin Towers and it sounded like a swell vacation." _Dan started._

"It was going fine and we were having a fun time until Trixie thought she saw an old classmate." _Honey said._

"And we told her to forget it, that we didn't want any mysteries to solve this vacation. So we forgot about it for the next four days until we were all doing some homework in our rooms on the fourth night. Trixie and Honey shared a room with Brian & Jim in the adjoining room. Anyways, Honey went to ask Jim a question and wasn't out of the room more than two minutes when someone snuck into the room via the patio and kidnapped Trixie. We've been trying to finds her ever since."

"When did she go missing exactly? The date I mean?" _Ta asked as Jim and Brian came up with some food. _

"Thursday night, why?" _Jim asked._

"Cause that's when Adam Fowler came to the station and asked Sgt. Mollinson to reopen the cold case involving his two kidnapped sisters. He said he thought he saw his sister Charlotte in the city while he was running errands."

"Hey, I remember that case. Charlotte & Heather, who were six & two at the time, were playing in the front yard together when they had been grabbed. Their mom & dad, after hearing the screams, came out to see what had happened and were shot in the head trying to get the kids back. Adam had been away at Basic Camp, doing his Army Training. The little girls were never seen again and no bodies were ever found." _Brian finished._

"Oh, that's why Trixie thought she recognized the girl. Trixie must have seen a picture of her in a class photo. She'd be sixteen now." _Mart said._

"So that means she and Brian were in the same grade." _Diana said._

"So, if Trixie was grabbed by the same person who took Charlotte and Heather, there's a good chance that she's still alive." _Jim said._

"Hang on; I don't think Sgt. Mollinson and my brother would like it if you guys got involved in this case, even if it might lead you to Trixie. But I will tell Spider that Trixie saw Charlotte last Monday before she was taken. That could be why she was taken in the first place." _Tad said._

"Tad's got a point. Besides, Moms and dad aren't letting us out of their sight except to go to school & exercise the horses. We don't need to have them worried about us as well. We're going to let the police handle this mystery and NOT get involved, even if it pains us to set this one out." _Brian finished._

"Agreed."

The group got up and headed in different directions. It wouldn't be long before the whole of Sleepyside knew that Trixie had been kidnapped.

Are the two cases connected? And will Trixie be rescued in time?...

**Missing Poster:**

**Name:** Beatrix 'Trixie' Belden

**Hair:** Strawberry Blonde

**Eyes:** Blue

**Height:** 5'3"

**Weight:** 135lbs.

**Last Seen:** March 16th

If you've seen this girl, please call police at the number provided…


	3. Plan of Escape

**Plan of Escape:**

**The House:**

They fell into routines. The man, who Trixie learned was named Frank, didn't bother the girls much unless he wanted something and then it was Charlie who always went to help him out. Charlie made him dinner, cleaned his house, kept him away from Trixie & Heather and made the girls dinner. If Frank wanted more, Charlie did that too, though Trixie never asked what that 'favor' was. She had lost count of days and since they all blurred together, she only really knew that it was either morning or night by use of the window in the small room they were kept in.

After the first few days, Frank had tried to go after Trixie but Charlie always got in the way so he'd take her instead. She was vaguely aware of the moans that came from another part of the house, but Charlie never talked about it and she always looked like she was about to cry when she came back to the room.

Heather, it turned out, had some sort of mental problem so she never really understood what was going on. She knew that she as with her sister, but beyond that didn't know much else. True to Charlie's word, Heather accepted Trixie as her new best friend and someone to play with when Charlie was too busy with Frank to play.

Trixie had tried to ask about Charlie's family but every time she brought it up, Charlie would change the subject as if talking about her family wasn't allowed in the house. And so Trixie had been forced to give up that line of questioning and thought as well. Though she often wondered what her family & friends were doing. When she brought it up to Charlie, Charlie told her it did no good to think of the past when they needed to think of ways to survive every day.

But Trixie refused to let go of her family & friends and instead started looking for ways to escape somehow. If only Frank would leave so they could escape…

**Crabapple Farm:**

It had been a month since the kidnapping of Trixie & still there was no word. It was as if she had just dropped off the face of the Earth, though everyone knew that that was impossible. But since the police in Sleepyside were working with the Detectives in New York City and had linked the two cases, they had many officers not just looking for Trixie but also the two missing sisters of Adam Fowler. It was the lead the Sleepyside cops had been waiting ten years for. Charlotte Fowler had finally resurfaced and now it was a race against time to find the three girls before time ran out.

Spider Webster was always at the Belden place, updating the family with any new evidence in their daughter's case. Because of his personal connection to the victim, he wasn't allowed to help look for Trixie, but that didn't stop him from being involved in the case, even if it was just updating the Belden's.

The Bob-Whites were a different story. Without Trixie, they didn't feel whole. It was as if the heart of the club had been ripped out and they didn't know how to put Humpty Dumpty back together again without the heart that was so obviously missing. And that was another thing. Mr. & Mrs. Belden no longer felt comfortable allowing Brian & Mart to meet at the Clubhouse, though it was on the Wheeler property. So now, they met at Manor House, holding their meetings in Jim's room. Tom and Celia had attempted to give up their trailer for every meeting but the Bob-White's declined, telling them that there was no offense but they felt safer in the house. Tom & Celia hadn't taken offense at all.

Adam Fowler also spent a lot of time at Crabapple Farm & Manor House discussing with both sets of parents what was going on in both cases. He'd been at Basic Training when his sister had been kidnapped. He was feeling very protective of them now that there was a possibility that not only were they alive, but with Trixie as well. If Charlotte & Heather were with Trixie, there was a greater chance at bringing all three of them home alive.

Can Trixie, Heather, Charlie find a way to escape? And will they get help from an unknown source who has been wondering about Trixie?

**The Barn:**

Trixie was in the barn next door grooming a horse when Charlie walked in with not only Heather but the man that owned the barn. Apparently, the man and Frank were good friends and Charlie had become friends with the man's daughter sometime in the past summer. Heather immediately ran to where Trixie was grooming the horse to try and help. There were 3 horses in the barn.

"well hello young lady, where did you come from?" _the man asked and Trixie hung back, afraid of what Frank might do if he caught them in the barn._

"Trixie, you don't have to be afraid. This man is a retired cop and he says he wants to help. His name is Donald Jackson."

"It's nice to meet you sir. But Frank will be mad when he finds out we're gone."

"He won't have time to come after you. Charlie and Heather will be on one horse and you on another. We have your bags all ready for you. Frank is passed out drunk right now. Now, after you are dropped off at your house, Charlie & Heather will continue to their home. Each bag has clothes, food, money & water. You can each pay me back when you get home. I expect you to keep in touch so I know how you are getting along once you _are_ back home. I have some friends still on the 'Force' that will come when I call & tell them what my neighbor has done. By that time, you will be long gone. And you can keep the horses till I come get them. Now, let's saddle the horses and get you on your way. You need to be well on your way before I call in the cavalry. I do hope to see you three again."

The horses were saddled almost immediately and the three girls grabbed the bags that had been packed for them, then they headed off into the woods with a map and flashlights. They were free from Frank and they knew it was going to be a long ride home…

_**More to come in next chapter…**_

_**Please Review…**_


	4. Escape

**Escape:**

**Night Flight:**

Heather was in front of Charlie on Bolo, who happened to be at one point in Mr. Jackson's career, part of the Mounted Patrol in the city. Trixie was on Levi, who happened to be Mr., Jackson's late wife's horse before the woman had died a few months before. They each had flashlights and they were using them at the moment as they made their way through the woods and staying off the main trails.

They knew better than anyone that if they stayed off the main road then they might be able to get all the way into the country part of New York without being stopped by anyone they didn't want to run into. Trixie was anxious to get home to her family & friends and though she could see that the same was true for Charlie & Heather, she also saw apprehension on Charlie's face and so she asked about it. She wasn't expecting the answer she got.

"Charlie, what's with the face? It's almost as if you don't want to go home."

"Of course I want to go home Trixie, but I don't know what awaits us. Both of our parents were killed the day we were taken. I don't even think anyone is looking for us anymore. What if we get home and no one is left to say that they are glad to see that we are alive?"

"Well, didn't you have any siblings other than Heather?"

"We have a brother, but I don't know if he came home after we disappeared. For all I know, he sold all of our stuff and moved away."

"Well, let's hope he didn't do that. Say, where did you live before Frank took you guys?"

"Actually, I don't really remember. All I know was that it was in the country somewhere. I was only in first grade when I was taken and Heather wasn't even in school."

"Maybe Moms and dad will let you stay with us till we can find your family; them or the Wheelers."

"Weren't you with the Wheelers when you were taken?"

"Yes, and I miss my friends terribly but I miss my family more."

"Well, you'll be with your family in a few days. I can only wish the same for Heather and me."

"Enough talk for now. Its growing light so we should be able to hurry more now that we'll be able to see. Best wake Heather; she won't want to miss the scenery."

"Good idea."

The talking stopped as night turned to day and the most beautiful sunrise hit the horses and their riders. How would everyone react to seeing the trio escaping to freedom?...

**A Night Raid:**

Mr. Jackson had called his friends that hadn't retired yet & told them everything. Detectives from both New York City & Sleepyside participated in the raid. And it wasn't just local police either. The FBI had gotten involved. So now the small cabin in the woods was slowly filling up with cops as the three girls made their escape & Frank slept in a drunken stupor.

It had been quiet as all the cops got into position outside the cabin. The lead FBI agent had been told what Mr. Jackson had done for the three victims and understood why he had finally stood up to his neighbor. Mr. Donald Jackson had seen the new girl that had suddenly appeared in the cabin and heard from friends about the missing girl that matched the young girl to a 'T' and had acted. The girls had been given the opportunity to flee to freedom and they had taken it.

But as the cops made ready to breach the house, they knew that the only person that would be hurt was the kidnapper himself. And as they turned on all of their lights and grabbed the door knob to breach the house, they knew the girls were not inside. And all Frank heard as they breached the house was, 'FBI, Police, put your hands where we can see them and get on the floor.' Because Frank would never be able to hurt anyone ever again, for he would be in prison for the remainder of his life.

Now Spider Webster had something positive to tell the Belden's…

**A Familiar Store:**

It had been nearly three days since Trixie, Charlie & Heather had fled on Bolo & Levi, Mr. Jackson's horses. Three days since they left the woods and city and had entered the country. Three days since they had seen anyone that might be looking for them. But in those three days, the girls had seen plenty.

Heather had adopted an abandoned wolf pup during one of their stopovers to sleep. Charlie had figured out she was pregnant thanks to what Frank had done to her and the bruises on Trixie's arms had started to fade. Charlie had made room in Heather's bag to hold the wolf pup by putting some of the food in the saddlebags. And Heather had started to sing, though it was usually her Charlie who finished the song for her sister. The horses had grown to be friendly with their new temporary owners, though according to Charlie, had always been friendly to anyone that took care of them.

On was on the fourth night, as they came upon a small grocery store that Trixie recognized where she was. Charlie had suggested that they stop and buy some bottled water and Trixie had agreed. The second she was off Levi & waiting for Charlie to get Heather down from Bolo, Trixie recognized where she was. As they entered the store together, Trixie's eyes fell on the store owner.

"MR. LYTELL!" _Trixie practically screamed. Mr. Lytell was so shocked, he fell right off the stop he'd been sitting on._

"Trixie Belden, by God child, is that really you?"

"It is. Oh it is so good to see you," _Trixie said as he came around the corner. Trixie threw her arms around the old shopkeeper and the old man could do little more than to hug her right back._

"How in the world did you get here? How did you get away?"

"That's a long story. I'll tell you later. Can I use your phone please? I want to call home."

"Of course, just one second."

But right as Mr. Lytell went to grab the phone, the power went off and everyone in the store groaned. Mr. Lytell came to the rescue.

"Not to worry, we'll just call your house in the morning, Trixie. We'll let them know that the store will be closed and that I'll be bringing the newspaper tomorrow. That way it will be a surprise for everyone at the house. Now, from what I know, all the Bob-Whites are sleeping at your house tonight, Trixie, something to do with a fundraiser that's being held tomorrow at the lake. Miss Trask originally invited me so there is a reason for me to be closed tomorrow. I guess you and your friends will be the surprise for the night, now, there is a house back of the store just in case I got stuck here during a storm. And since my horse is already in the garage, let's put your two horses in the garage as well."

"Thank you Mr. Lytell. We really do appreciate it. I promised Charlie that Moms and dad would help find her family, well hers & Heathers."

"Good to know. Alright girls, let's get something to eat and then get some sleep. We want to be on the way up Glen Road tomorrow before anyone has a chance to get their horses saddled and headed down here. Your parents are going to be so relieved, Trixie."

_**More to come in next chapter…**_

_**Please Review…**_


	5. Homecomings

**Homecomings:**

**Mr. Lytell's Store:**

It was early the next morning when Charlie woke Heather & Trixie. Mr. Lytell was already at the store waiting with Brownie*, his horse, for the girls to join him. After they saddled their horses and gathered their belongings, they met him in front of the store, already on Bolo & Levi. Mr. Lytell handed up the bag of newspapers.

"I called your house, Trixie & let your parents know that I was coming up with the newspapers and that I was bringing some friends with me."

"How did they sound Mr. Lytell?"

"As well as anybody under the circumstances. Now before we go, do either of you girls need medical attention? I do see the remnants of bruises on both of you older girls but the wee one hasn't let me see much of her."

"I'm fine Mr. Lytell, but Charlie will need medical attention. The man that took us always wanted her to sleep in the same room as him, though I'm not sure why."

"I'll be fine Mr. Lytell. A doctor can wait on my condition and Heather doesn't have any bruises."

"Alright, well then I'll let it be for now. Let's get going shall we?"

They stopped talking as they headed towards Glen Road. Trixie was jittery. It had been way too long for her to be away from home. Not to mention that she couldn't wait to see her family & friends.

**Crabapple Farm:**

All the kids were either in the kitchen helping make breakfast or in the living room getting ready for the fundraiser later that morning. The fundraiser was to help the ongoing search for Trixie, Heather 7 Charlotte. Though they didn't know it at the time & the Webster brothers had been told not to say anything to the Belden's about the girls escaping, the Bob-Whites were soon to be reunited with their beloved sister & friend. Tad & Spider had had a hard time not saying anything to the Belden's, Wheeler's or Bob-Whites about what had happened.

It was Mr. Belden who told Honey & Jim that they needn't go to Mr. Lytell's store to get the newspapers as he had closed the store to be at the fundraiser and that he was bringing the newspapers up himself. Mr. Belden didn't say anything about the friends that Mr. Lytell was bringing because he didn't know who Mr. Lytell might be brining.

Because it was such a drizzly morning, Charlie, Trixie & Heather had raincoats on with the hoods up. Mr. Lytell had the hood of his raincoat on as well. They had talked little as Mr. Lytell was sure Trixie would burst from happiness if she started to talk. When the group came around the last bend of the driveway of Crabapple farm, it was Honey's face in the window that Trixie saw through the drizzle. And it was Honey who first stared to speak.

"Say, I didn't know Mr. Lytell knew any young girls with horses. Who do you suppose he's brought with him?" _Honey asked._

"What are you talking about Honey?" _Diana asked coming into the living room where Honey was standing. And then she also saw what Honey had seen._ "Hm, that is curious. Maybe Mr. Lytell got some experts who know what it's like to be kidnapped."

"What are you girls yapping about over here?" _Dan asked coming up._

"Just admiring the horses and their riders that are with Mr. Lytell." _Honey said._

"Well how about you stop yapping and get to the table. Moms says breakfast is ready." _Brian said._

"We're coming."

"Say, it sure was nice of Mr. Lytell to bring the newspapers." _Jim said._

"Yes, it was. He told dad that because he was coming to the fundraiser that there was no point in being open and that he and his friends hadn't eaten breakfast, so Mom set four extra places." _Mart said._

"New friends…hey, she looks familiar!" _Bobby yelled as he ran to the sliding glass door. And it was Bobby who first saw Trixie's face._

**Family Reunion:**

"Trixie! She's home!"_ Bobby yelled as he opened the porch door and threw his arms around his older sister's legs. Everyone in the Belden house were too stunned to say anything and it was quiet for a few minutes as Trixie picked Bobby up and walked into the house. Mr. Lytell came in a second later with the newspapers in his arms and Charlie & Heather behind him. And then there was chaos as everyone tried to speak at the same time._

"Trixie?!" _Honey questioned._

"How'd you get away?" _Jim asked._

"Who are your friends?" _Mart asked._

"How'd you find them Mr. Lytell?" _Dan & Diana asked at the same time._

"Is it really your, Trixie?" _Mrs. Belden asked._

"Why didn't you say anything Mr. Lytell?" _Mr. Belden asked._

"Slow down, one at a time, please. Can we get out of our jackets and get things set down first?" _Mr. Lytell finished._

"Of course, come in. where are our manners? Please come in, sit down and relax." _Mrs. Belden said as she ushered Mr. Lytell and the three girls into the living room._

Trixie, Charlie & Heather took their coats off and set them over a chair. They set the bags beside the chair before sitting in front of the roaring fireplace. It was then that Jim saw the bruises on both Trixie & Charlie and his face grew furious.

"He hit you?" _Jim asked, obviously angry._

"It's not what you think, Jim. Okay maybe it is. But Charlie tried to stop him, I swear she did." _Trixie said._

"Look, I'm sorry Trixie was taken but then again I'm also not sorry. If Trixie hadn't been taken then there would still be a good chance that Heather & I would still be in the cabin with Frank. I was outside chopping wood for the stove I cooked on when Frank went into the room Trixie, Heather & I shared. When I heard Heather screaming, I ran into the cabin as fast as I could and pulled Frank away from her. Her bruises have already started to fade, but I can't take back what happened."

"Okay, we get that part and we thank you for protecting our sister, but who are you?" _Brian asked._

"My name is Charlie…well actually it is Charlotte Fowler and this is my sister Heather. We showed up at Mr. Lytell's store last night before the power went out. Mr. Lytell was kind enough to let us sleep at the house behind his store for the night. We put the horses in the garage so they wouldn't get spooked."

"Oh, so that must mean that you are Adam's sisters?" _Mart asked._

"You know Adam? But how? I don't remember us living out here. I don't even remember having neighbors."

"Yeah, you guys live behind my house. Before Adam had the cops reopen your guys' case, we never saw him at all. He was either away with the military or away on business. Now, he's always at the Wheeler's house or down here talking to Trixie's parents." _Diana finished._

"But that means that he didn't move away after all. Trixie, I have…we have family here. We'll have to write Mr. Jackson at once and tell him that we have finally arrived safely at home."

"Won't he be surprised to learn that we are actually neighbors? And that means he won't have to travel very far to come get his horses." _Trixie said._

"I was wondering where you girls got them horses from. Was it Mr. Jackson that helped you get away?" _Both girls nodded their heads before Charlie answered._

"Mr. Jackson is the nicest man I've ever known, except my father and now Mr. Lytell. Frank made friends with him last summer when he decided I had been brainwashed enough not to say anything. I made friends with his daughter Jennifer when we rode horses together. Heather was always with us but because she doesn't remember our parents, she always thought Frank was our father. Mr. Jackson got suspicious of Frank over Christmas when he kidnapped that other girl. But because that other girl wouldn't follow the rules at all, he got rid of her."

"How do you mean, Charlie?" _Mr. Belden asked. The breakfast that had been made had been brought into the living room and was being eaten as everyone talked._

"It's best that little ears don't hear the details." _Charlie motioned towards Bobby and Heather who were busy playing with the wolf pup & Reddy._

"Of course, maybe some other time. Right now, we need to get ready for the fundraiser."

"Moms, what's the fundraiser for?" _Trixie asked._

"It was going to go towards another search for you Charlie & Heather, but now I don't know where it's going to go."

"I have an idea," _Charlie began,_ "we could give it to Mr. Jackson since he loaned the three of us money so we could buy food on our way home. He said we could pay him back when we got home/ he also said that he would get Bolo & Levi after we wrote to him to tell him we were home safely. Bolo was Mr. Jackson's horse when he was a cop with the Mounted Patrol in the city and Levi was his late wife's horse before she got sick and died."

"That's a good idea. But we don't owe Mr. Jackson that much money, only like $75 dollars all together. What if we make more than that at the fundraiser?"

"Then we donate the rest of the money to an organization that helps families of kidnapped or missing children. Do you have any idea how many kids go missing every year? When Frank would take me to the library, I would read up on children that had been kidnapped or just plain went missing. He would always leave me there for a few hours while he did something in town. The people at the library let me copy and print pages for free. When they asked why I was so interested in that subject I told them it was for a class project. They never pushed the subject and as far as I knew, never asked Frank about it. Hundreds of thousands of kids worldwide go missing every year. Half are never seen again; some are found in a city morgue; and then there are the ones that were sold into slavery. If those ones are ever rescued, they can never go home for fear they'll be found again or their parents are the ones that sold them in the first place. And if, while they are still in captivity, they try to run away because they want to go home, the people that own them track down every single member of their families and kill them all. There are rules to being a slave."

"Dang, that's one long explanation. Have you thought about what you want to do when you graduate?" _Jim asked._

"I'm going to be a Social Worker. Besides, the three of us have entered a club that the rest of you aren't allowed to join."

"Who says we can't join?" _Diana asked._

"Because it's a club for the survivors of kidnappings and I highly doubt the rest of you have been kidnapped."

"Well, there was that one time that Trixie and Mart were almost kidnapped in my dad's red trailer." _Diana said._

"And then there was the one time that Honey & Trixie were kidnapped while working on a mystery in Mississippi. Do those count?" _Brian asked._

"Only if they lasted more than two weeks; Trixie was kidnapped over a month ago. Heather and I were kidnapped ten years ago. Get the picture?"

Everyone agreed with that statement and helped clean the living room. Heather had fallen asleep with the wolf pup in her arms at Charlie's feet and Bobby was asleep with Reddy leaning up against Trixie's legs, so the girls were forced to let everyone else clean up.

*Brownie: Don't remember if this is the name of Mr. Lytell's horse, but I think it might be.

_**More to come in next chapter…**_

_**Please Review…**_


	6. The Fundraiser

**The Fundraiser:**

**The Lake:**

Booths had been set up the previous day and the Boathouse was being used as a place to cook the food. Trixie and Charlie were still at the Belden house with Bobby & Heather. Mr. & Mrs. Belden had not called Adam per request of Charlie. Charlie wanted to surprise her brother when he showed up for the fundraiser. Since it was still spring, the lake would be open for relay races for the best swimmers.

Honey's cousin Ben had agreed to help with the fundraiser by being the swimmer for the Bob-Whites as Honey had said she didn't want to. And since most of the kids were pretty good cooks, they would be manning the food booths.

Regan and the Wheelers were donating the horses for the fundraiser so the younger kids could ride on the horses as they were led around the property. And according to Mr. Belden, Adam would be bringing some of the tame horses from his property so that there could be trail rides.

Now that Trixie, Heather & Charlie were home, the three girls were getting into more appropriate clothing. Mrs. Belden was lending some clothes to Charlie as Charlie was about the same height as Mrs. Belden. Trixie was back dungarees and a T-shirt and the three girls had showered. Heather was borrowing some of Trixie's old clothes that hadn't been taken to the Salvation Army, just in case anyone needed them.

When Trixie, Charlie & Heather emerged from the house, Mrs. Belden gave them their jackets and told them to cover up if they wanted to surprise everyone that they were home and safe. After putting their jackets on, Heather picked up the wolf pup and then the three of them walked to the lake and entered the Boathouse to help with the cooking.

Having cooked for Frank for ten years, Charlie had some recipes that even the Bob-Whites didn't know about. Mr. Lytell and other grocery stores had donated most of the food for the benefit and it had stayed in the Wheeler's kitchen so it wouldn't go bad. Miss Trask, Tom, Celia & Mr. Lytell were now bringing all the food down to the boathouse so the kids could cook it.

Inside the boathouse, Charlie got Heather comfortable in a corner with blankets, pillows & the wolf pup. Bobby would soon join her, without Reddy, as none of the Belden's or Bob-Whites wanted Bobby to tell everyone that Trixie was safely at home until Adam was at the lake. And since Bobby wasn't so great at keeping _Secrets_, it was better if he stayed in the Boathouse.

Besides, now that the three girls were home, it would be hard for the Bob-Whites to keep sullen faces as they were all smiles at the moment. They would have to remember to hide the smiles when everyone showed up for the Benefit. With the food preparations now under way with all the kids in the Boathouse, all the adults got busy fixing up some of the booths for the games and a booth to sing up for the trail rides. And that's about the time the kids started to talk amongst themselves.

**The Boathouse Talk:**

"So, how did you guys get away, anyhow?" _Dan asked._

"Trixie was grooming Levi in Mr. Jackson's barn while I went to talk to Mr. Jackson. At first I only wanted to talk to Mr. Jackson if we could borrow the horses for a little ride in the woods, but when he asked about how Trixie happened to be living with us, I caved. I knew that Trixie belonged with her family & that you must have been looking for her so I told him all that I knew. When I was done telling about Trixie, he asked about Heather & me and I told him that Frank had taken us as well. That's when he told me that he was a retired cop and had heard about a missing girl that looked like Trixie from a friend of his when he went to town for his daily coffee meeting with his friends. He hadn't said anything to his friends because he knew that some of them were friends with Frank. Anyways, he had me help him pack three bags with clothes, food, money and canteens of water and told me to go get Heather from the house and the he would help us. In all honesty, I thought he was going to take us into the city to a police station so we could tell the cops what had happened to us but that's not at all what happened."

"Gleeps, that had to have felt wonderful for you guys." _Mart said._

"Almost, but since I didn't know about the conversation at Mr. Jackson's house, I was afraid of him when he walked in and asked who I was. I thought for sure that Frank would find out and stop us before we got away. When Charlie told me who Mr. Jackson was, I about fainted. When Mr. Jackson gave us Levi & Bolo to ride all the way home, I was astonished and excited; Charlie, not so much. She had a look of apre…apre…apprehension on her face and I asked her about it. That's when she told me about her family and that she only remembered living in the country part of New York. She didn't even remember that she had lived in Sleeyside or hat she was in the same class as Brian."

"Yeah, well when everyone found out you had been kidnapped March 16th, Tad about fainted." _Brian said._

"How come?" _Trixie asked._

"Cause that's the day that Adam asked Sgt. Mollinson to reopen the missing person's case of his sisters, Charlotte and Heather. Adam thought he had seen Charlotte in the city on Monday afternoon while he was running some errands. When he got back from the city, he went straight to the police and had them reopen the case. His sister had finally resurfaced; he wasn't going to let it go." _Jim finished._

"Adam had our case reopened? But I didn't think anyone was looking for us." _Charlie stated. _  
"You'd be surprised to hear how many people were actually looking for the three of you. Like you said earlier, Charlie, it was a good thing that Trixie was kidnapped, well sort of, because then nobody would have found you or Heather." _Diana said._

"Did Mr. Lytell tell your folks anything about us?" _Charlie asked._

"He just said that he was bringing friends to the Fundraiser. I guess he wanted you all to be a surprise and boy you sure were. I think everyone stood staring for about two whole minutes when the three of you walked into the house." _Mart said._

"Hm…well we are a surprise. But I still don't know all of your names and I've kept forgetting to ask."

"Oh, sorry about that; I guess we were sure Trixie would have told you who we were." _Honey said._

"Sorry, no she didn't. I refused to let her talk about her family when we were with Frank. It did no good thinking about the past when everyday was a fight for survival."

"Yeah, I guess that's a good point. Well my name is James Winthrop Frayne Wheeler; this is my sister Honey Wheeler, and Trixie's brothers Brian, Mart & Bobby, Diana Lynch & Dan Mangan. Diana lives in the estate before your house. And Dan is our horse groomer's nephew. Our horse groom is Regan and he's the red haired man out there next to the horses. And, oh look, that looks like Adam on one of his horses guiding a long line of horses. Looks like you'll get to see your brother sooner rather later."

"Oh, no, I want to surprise him at the end of the Benefit. That way he won't be able to yell at me."

"Why would he yell at you? He's done nothing but try to find you since he got out of the military." _Brian stated._

But the look on Charlie's face told them that she was afraid that he would yell at her. Trixie tried to talk to her but she just backed away from the door and went to sit next to Heather. And that's when Trixie remembered the last few days and what Charlie had figured out about her condition. Jim was looking at her weirdly.

"Out with it, Trix. What is Charlie so afraid of her brother for?" _Jim asked._

"Because, she's pregnant." _Trixie whispered._

"But she's only sixteen. How can she be pregnant?" _Mart asked._

"Frank used to make her sleep in the same room as him and I remember that every time she came back from his room, she had tears in her eyes and she never wanted to talk about it. It was as if it was a huge secret that she was afraid of."

"Okay, I get it. Frank must have figured if he couldn't get any from say a 'prostitute/hooker' then he should try for Charlie. Charlie wouldn't have been able to fight back the way a prostitute would have. She was Frank's prisoner, if she fought back, Frank would have killed her or Heather or the both of them. And it was easier for her to go along with what he wanted or fear death." _Brian whispered._

"S_o_ that's why she kept putting herself between me and Frank. Every time Frank made a move towards me, Charlie would go with him instead. She saved me in that retro…retro…"

"Retrospect," _Mart finished for her._

"Thank you."

"I didn't want you to lose your sole to him Trixie. I wanted you to stay a kid for as long as possible. And you're right; I do believe my brother will be mad at me for being pregnant. But I can't change what happened. It was survival for me and that's how I see it."

"And that's how I also see it. The whispering did no good, especially when Mr. Belden stopped me and told me what had conspired this morning. I don't care what you did to survive Charlotte, you're my sister and I will love you until the day I die."

"Adam!" _Charlie exhaled before throwing her arms around his neck. They hugged for a few minutes before she pulled away._

"I want you to meet your sister, Heather. She doesn't remember who you are, but she does know that she has a brother."

"Of course, lead the way." _Adam said, letting his younger sister lead him to where Bobby & Heather were playing._

"Heather, sweety, this is your older brother Adam. He's been looking for us."

"Hiya Adim. Wanna play wit me puppy?"

"Not right now sweety, maybe later."

"Okey." _And she went back to playing with Bobby & her wolf pup._

"What's wrong with her Charlotte?"

"I don't know. All I know is that mentally she stopped growing at the age of five. She's a five-year-old trapped in a twelve-year-olds body. That's why I was so protective of her when we lived with Frank. The way he got with her sometimes almost made me want to throttle him. He tried telling me he was going to keep her in his room instead of me one time. That's the only time I allowed myself to get angry with him. After my rage, he told me he'd never go near her again. I don't think he thought that I would be so protective of her. I on the other hand was not going to let him take advantage of her like he'd already don't to me."

"Well, when this is all over, I'll take the two of you into the city to see a doctor. It shouldn't take that long to find a doctor for the two of you."

"Thank you Adam. But this is far from over. Frank was arrested almost five days ago. There's definitely going to be a trial and both Trixie & I will have to testify. And you can count on the fact that everything that happened, from ten years ago to the day we escaped will come out into the open. Do you really want everyone to know what happened to Heather & me? Not to mention the little girl that Frank took before Trixie? Everything will come out Adam."

"What little girl Charlotte?"

"Oh will you stop calling me that? I go by Charlie now. Besides, I like it better than the old lady's name. Charlie suits me better anyhow."

"Alright, Charlie is it. Are you three going to come out of the Boathouse at all?"

"Moms and dad think it's best if we stay in here till the end of the Benefit and then reveal ourselves. That way people will feel like they accomplished something by donating the money. Besides, whatever money we don't give to pay back the man that helped us escape will go to a charity group that helps families whose children have either gone missing or were kidnapped." _Trixie said._

"And what about Bobby?"

"He's not so great about keeping secrets so he's going to stay in here and help keep Heather entertained. My friends said that they would eat their food in here so that no one would be suspicious as to why they were bringing food into the Boathouse. That way, we really will be a surprise."

"I see, well it looks like Regan could use some help so I will be back after the trail ride. You girls stay strong."

"Thanks Adam. Thank you Mr. Fowler." _Charlie & Trixie said together._

"You can call me Adam, Trixie. The rest of the Bob-White's already do, so I want you to feel welcome to as well. I will see you later." _With that Adam left and Charlie & Trixie were left to take care of Bobby & Heather._

**The Benefit:**

All the Bob-Whites and Adam managed to hide their smiles, though at times it was hard. When something was funny, they laughed but not too much. They didn't want anyone thinking that they were having too much fun. But they needn't have worried. Everyone could tell that they were just trying to get through the day without crying.

When the trail ride & the swim contest ended, it was nearly 6pm and almost time for the bonfire. Marshmallows and roasting sticks were brought out for everyone and Mr. Belden grabbed the microphone. After he got everyone's attention, he began. The Bob-Whites were in the Boathouse helping Trixie & Charlie get Bobby & Heather ready to let everyone know that they were alive and safe.

"Now, I know everyone here came to show how much they care for my family. And I know that you were expecting that any money we raised tonight was going to fund another search for my daughter & Adam's sisters but I have some news for you. This morning, thanks to a little help from Mr. Lytell, our daughter Trixie & Adam's sisters Heather & Charlotte were returned safely to us via two horses borrowed from a retired police officer. They fled the house they were being kept in almost five days ago and showed up last night before the power outage at Mr. Lytell's store on Glen Road. They are here, they are alive & they are safe. Please show your appreciation for these three brave girls who went through hell to get back to their families." _Mr. Belden stopped as he spread his arm towards the Boathouse & the Bob-Whites as they emerged with Trixie holding a sleepy Bobby and Charlie leading a bewildered Heather holding her wolf pup._

Almost immediately, clapping and cheering ensued. Sgt. Mollinson moved through the crowd with a very determined old man. When Charlie saw the old man, she gasped. Trixie had stopped next to her father and looked back to see what Charlie had gasped at. Mrs. Belden took Bobby as Trixie moved next to Charlie.

"Mr. Jackson, you didn't need to come so soon. We were going to write in a few days."

"I know Trixie, but I figured you young folks would want to hear what has happened right away."

"What has happened Mr. Jackson?" _Charlie asked._

"Frank wasn't arrested."

"You mean he got away?" _Trixie asked, disappointment showing on her face._

"No, he didn't get away. Apparently he had a gun in his hand when the FBI & Police raided the house. Well he woke up and aimed it at a few officers and all hell broke loose. What I'm trying to say is this: Frank was killed the night of the raid. There won't be a trial and you won't ever have to worry about the likes of him coming after you ever again."

From behind him, the cheering got louder. Both Trixie & Charlie hugged each other, then Heather and then everyone else around them. It truly was, for sure and for certain, over.

_**More to come in next chapter…**_

_**Please Review…**_


	7. Back To Real Life

**Back To Real Life:**

**Back To Normal:**

It took Trixie and Charlie another week before they were allowed to leave the sight of their families. Because it was so late in the school year, Charlie wasn't allowed to start school till next year. Since Trixie had only missed one month of school, she only had to make that much of school up.

Her teachers sent Brian and Mart home with all of her missed assignments and tests so that by the time she got back to school, she'd be caught up. And since Charlie had been out of school for so long, any assignments Trixie had, Charlie also did. She got plenty of help from Brian, Jim & Dan as well. They were tutoring her so that she could go to school with them next year and be in the same grade.

True to his word, Adam took Charlie & Heather into the city to see doctors. It turned out that Charlie would give birth to her baby sometime in September either before school started or just after. Heather was a different story. It turned out that Heather was Autistic. When the doctor asked why she hadn't seen a doctor till now, he was told that she was one of the girls the city had been looking for a few weeks prior. He took the answer & didn't push the subject. The doctor did however tell him that Heather would never grow mentally passed her five-year-old mentality. After the siblings got back home, Charlie was allowed to go to the Belden's for her daily tutor session.

Mr. Jackson had accepted the $75 dollars from the fundraiser but nothing else. He'd also moved from him home in the woods to settle in Sleepyside so both Charlie & Trixie could visit whenever they wanted. His daughter moved with him and she would enter Sleepyhigh next year with Charlie. Mr. Jackson's horses, Bolo & Levi, stayed on Crabapple farm as they had grown attached to the two girls that had ridden them to freedom.

All Mr. Jackson required the girls to do was ride them to Mr. Lytell's store every Sunday so he could see that they were in good health, which he knew that they would be. And since it had been Mr. Jackson who had helped the girls escape, both sets of family members want to thank him. And the thank you came in the form of a dinner invite at the Wheeler's Manor House since they had the closest house to Mr. Jackson's and since the dining room was big enough to set everyone.

The dinner was a hit as the kids had kicked the cook out of the kitchen and Charlie shared some the many recipes she'd used over the years. They cooked under her supervision and though the staff at the Wheeler's house tried to help, they got told no; that the kids were going to be cooking & that interruptions were not welcome. Once the dinner was served, Mr. Jackson told all around the table, everyone except Bobby & Heather who were with the Lynch family having fun with Diana's twin brothers and sisters, about the new investigation that the Detectives in New York were taking on. And it turned out that Charlie knew exactly what case it was.

While they had been in the city at the doctors, Charlie had told Adam about the girl Frank had taken before he took Trixie. After the visit to the doctors, Adam had driven to the police station and Charlie had told the Detectives about the girl & what had happened to her. She told them that the name of the girl had been Candace and that was all she knew about her. They had started the investigation almost immediately.

With Frank dead, they didn't know where the girl might have been buried. They did know, thanks to Charlie, the Frank had taken her from Pennsylvania. They had gotten ahold of her family and learned that the girl had been missing for three months. The police had gone back to Frank's property and searched it. They found the girl buried in an old tool box. She had been dismembered because she had refused to follow the rules of the house, though Charlie had tried to tell her what would happen if she didn't listen. The girl's family had opted to having her cremated and then had gone back home to Pennsylvania to mourn the loss of their young daughter.

The following Monday, two weeks after returning home, Trixie went back to school. To her, it felt good to get back to the basics of her life, but it also felt weird. She knew that there was no possible way that Frank was still alive, but she was still scared. She told no one about being scared, but her brothers could see it in her eyes when they got off the bus in front of the high school.

Brian put a supporting arm around her and Mart took her hand as she allowed them to lead her into the school for the first time in nearly two months. Honey & Diana stayed with her, having most of the same classes with her. By the time lunch came around, she was less afraid than when she had been that morning.

When school ended, instead of taking the bus home, Adam and Charlie offered the friends a ride home & they accepted. The siblings had been at the school to register Charlie for school the next year. It would be two more months of school for the Bob-Whites before summer started and every one of them had a lot of work between then & now to make sure they had fun that summer…

**A New Bob-White:**

Mr. & Mrs. Belden were allowing Trixie, Mart & Brian to meet at the Bob-White's clubhouse as they had a pressing matter to discuss. It was June and school was out in three days. The Bob-White's need to discuss something of great importance and it had to be decided before school let out. As Trixie opened the door to the Clubhouse, it was like finally coming home. She settled into one of the chairs and waited for everyone to get settled. Charlie arrived via Bolo, who had been moved to the barn on the Fowler property. She had dropped Heather off with Regan who promised to show her the horses.

"Charlie, I'm glad you could come."

"Thanks Trixie. Adam thought we could use some time with friends. He called your parents earlier and I'm to spend the night. He has to go into the city with Heather, to her doctor & I told him I didn't want to go."

"That sounds great. I wonder why Moms and dad didn't say anything before we left the house."

"Maybe because they knew she was going to be here; I now proclaim this meeting to be in session." _Jim stated._

"So why are you guys meeting? I'm not part of your club."

"But that's why we're meeting Charlie. We agreed to allow you into our club after the Benefit; we just haven't gotten around to asking you until now. We've been too busy helping Trixie get caught up with her school work so she'll be able to move on to the ninth grade." _Mart said._

"So how about it; will you join our club? We'll be even again if you join." _Honey said._

"I'd love to, thank you. Now all I need is a jacket to match you guys."

"You'll have it when school lets out. Honey's making it for you and it'll be done soon." _Diana said._

"This is just perfect. Adam was just saying that I needed to find something to do this summer since he and Heather will be in the city most weekends working with her doctor."  
"Well, see, now you have something to do. Come on, we promised Moms and dad that we'd be back before it got dark." _Brian stated, standing up and helping Charlie up._

"Thank you Brian."

"You're welcome."

They headed out in different directions. Charlie had gotten onto Bolo and then helped Trixie up. The two girls had become almost inseparable…

**Summer Vacation:**

Three days later, school was out and all the kids hurried to Crabapple farm. Mr. Belden had planned a small party to commemorate the end of a long school year, too long for the Belden's and Bob-White's.

Charlie was already at the Belden home when the Bob-White's arrived. She had ridden Bolo over and was helping take care of Bobby, whose school had gotten out at the beginning of the week. Bobby was on Bolo, 'practicing his riding' when the kids walked into the yard. The wolf pup Heather had adopted was playing with Reddy & Patch, who had been brought down earlier by Miss Trask who was helping Mrs. Belden in the house.

"Nice to see you here Charlie," _Brian said walking up._

"Thank you. Adam and Heather are in the city but should be back in time for the party, or I hope so. Heather's doctor is putting her on some medication that's supposed to help her communicate better. I honestly don't think she needs it since I can always understand her. She's perfect to me and we've survived this long without doctors that I personally don't see the need for them all."

"Well maybe Adam is just trying to be thorough." _Mart said._  
"Maybe, but I wish he'd stop trying so hard. It's as if he's trying to make up for something that's not his fault at all."

"I think we know what you're saying. But Adam just got you back. Let him fuss for a while." _Dan said._

"I guess you're right. Okay, come on Bobby, time to go inside."

"But I wanna go on 'nother trail ride."

"Not right now. We have to get ready for the party. Down you go Bobby." _Trixie said stepping into the conversation. Bobby reluctantly let Trixie remove him from the horse, then ran inside the house._

"Let me put Bolo in the barn and then I'll be inside."

"I'll help." _Brian offered and the other kids got scarce. It was if Brian was falling in love. He had that look about him._

"Thank you Brian."

"You're welcome. So let me ask you something, I you don't mind?"

"Not at all, shoot."

"Are you keeping the baby?"

"As much as I would like to, no I'm not. I'm going to put it up for adoption, but I'll make sure the agency and the adoptive parents know that I don't mind being contacted when the kids gets older."

"Well, that's nice of you."

"Yeah, I'm not ready to be a mother again. I mean I raised Heather because if I didn't, Frank would have killed her and she's my sister. But I don't want to be a mother till I get married and have a career."

"Yeah, that's understandable. Does Adam know about your decision? He may want to keep as much of his family around as possible."

"He knows. I told him last night and honestly I think he's relieved. I don't think he wanted a reminder around of how and what Frank did to me. I will let the people who adopt the child name it; I don't have any names picked out anyways."

"That's understandable."

"Come on, we better head inside. Best not keep your family wondering where we've gotten to." _As Charlie made to move out of the barn, Brian grabbed her arm, turned her back towards him and kissed her square on the lips. The shock didn't last long. Charlie kissed right back. It was a good five minutes before they came up for some air and at that, they both had smiles on their faces. They left the barn, hand in hand._

When the couple arrived at the house, everyone inside could tell that they were together. The parents and siblings knew that Brian would take care of Charlie, but how would Adam react to it all?

_**More to come in next chapter…**_

_**Please **__**Review**__**…**_


End file.
